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Jack Core obituary: A retired dairy inspector and volunteer

William Jack Core, age 83, of Hominy, Oklahoma passed away August 19, 2011 at the Cleveland Manor, Cleveland, Oklahoma.  Jack was born to William Bryan and Edna (Townsend) Core at Hominy, Oklahoma November 10, 1927.  Jack graduated from Hominy High School in 1945; Jack proudly served in the United States Army during WWII, and in 1951 graduated from Oklahoma A & M. Jack was a long time resident of Del City, Oklahoma and Hominy, Oklahoma.  Jack was retired; he had been a Dairy Inspector and Milk Lab Tech. Jack relished taking an active role in both his church and in his community.  As a long time member of the Hominy Friends Meeting, he gladly gave of his time serving as a Sunday School teacher, on ministry and counsel; and as a member of the finance Committee for the Great Plains yearly meeting.  He volunteered for Christ’s Cupboard and acted as treasurer for the Hominy Ministerial Alliance.  Jack enjoyed working with the Hominy Community Center, the Hominy Alumni Association and the Breakfast Club Association. Jack also wrote articles for the Hominy Newspaper and helped Morris Fields with the weekly Karate class.  He had a gift for showing kindness to others.  His tender ways and Can-Do-Spirit made William Jackson Core a beloved family member and friend.

He is survived by one sister: Dorothy Manzer of Hominy, two brothers: Melvin Core and Carl Core both of Pawhuska, Oklahoma; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Jack was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters: Lorrena Thompson and Ida Mae Penn; three brothers: Floyd Core, Kenneth Core and Marlan Core.

Funeral Services for Jack were Tuesday, August 23, 2011 at 10:00 A.M. at the Hominy Friends Meeting, Hominy with Pastor David Nagle, Pastor Clifton Phelps and Everett Waller officiating.  Congregational songs- “Amazing Grace”, “The Old Rugged Cross”, and special music by Clifton Phelps; Pianist was Waynel Green.  Casket Bearers were Homer Joe Holding, Scott Lohah, Cody Revard, Bryan Core, Alan Brown, David Meriable and honorary casket bearers Melvin Core and Carl Core.  Interment was in the A.J. Powell Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, 825 N.E. 13^th St., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 73104 or Hominy Friends Meeting. Arrangements were made with Powell Funeral Home, Hominy, Oklahoma.

 

Norma Bullock obituary: A selfless woman who worked as a prison law librarian and more

Norma Gean Bullock of Hominy passed away on Thursday, Aug. 18, 2011 at her home at the age 69 years eight months and four days.

Norma was born Dec. 14, 1941, in Holdenville.  As a young girl Norma was raised in the Holdenville area where she attended school. Soon after the completion of her education Norma gained employment with the Blue Bell Wrangler Company as a seamstress.  She continued to work at the factory for several years before moving to Perryton, Texas.  Several years following; Norma moved to California to the Long Beach area.  While residing in Long Beach she worked at a local fish market.  In the mid 1960s Norma returned to Perryton, Texas, where she remained until 1971.  At that time she moved to Cleveland, Okla., and opened the “Blue Bait Shop” west of town.  During this time she also worked at Katys and Judy Anns as a waitress.  In 1976, Norma sold the bait shop and moved to Hallett prior to returning to Cleveland in 1980.  On February 12, 1983, Norma was united in marriage to Wayne Bullock at the Westport Baptist Church.  Following their marriage the couple established their home in Hominy where they have continued to reside.  Norma soon gained employment with Dick Conner Correctional Facility in the mail room.  She later worked in the property room and soon began working as the Law Librarian.  Norma retired from Dick Conner in 2008 after 15 years of service. 

Norma enjoyed working in her garden and watching hummingbirds.  Most of all in life Norma enjoyed sitting down fishing for hours.  She was also a excellent cook always having enough food for everyone to enjoy.  Norma is described as a selfless, very caring and wonderful woman.

Survivors are her husband Wayne of the home, mother Mabel Lewis of Seminole, one son Bill Mooney of Cleveland; one brother Winford Adams of Seminole, and a host of other relatives and friends that will mourn her passing.  Norma was preceded in death by four siblings Darrell Lee Davis, Charles Adams, Glenda Kay Posey and Carolyn Ann Miller.

 

Howard Young obituary: A U.S. Navy veteran

Howard L. Young, 82, of Pawhuska passed away Thursday, August 18, 2011 at the Barnsdall Nursing Home in Barnsdall.

He was born April 16, 1929 in Shawnee to Otis and Lola (Hester) Young.  He attended school in Hominy.  He later enlisted in the United States Navy serving until he was honorably discharged.  He married Lena Young and they were married for 53 years before she preceded him in death.  He later married Marsha A. Akins on October 7, 2008 in Pawhuska.  She survives of the home.

He was a member of the Nelagoney Baptist Church.

He was preceded in death by his parents and one daughter Cindy Young.

He is survived by his wife Marsha of the home; one daughter, Kathy Winn; one son, Jim Young; one brother, Jessey Young; seven grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

Graveside services will be held Tuesday, August 23, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. at the Cedar Vale Cemetery with Pastor Bud Witt of the Nelagoney Baptist Church  officiating.

 To view the obituary or to leave a message for the family please visit www.dwbfh.com.

David W. Barnes Funeral Home of Sedan, Kansas, is in charge of arrangements.

 

Skiatook man injured in Tulsa motorcycle accident

A Skiatook man was injured in a motorcycle accident on the Interstate 244 ramp to U.S. 75 this afternoon, according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

Ronald Dean Wheeler, 58, was admitted to St. John's Medical Center in stable condition with trunk injuries after the 3:55 p.m. accident.

According to the OHP, Wheeler was riding a 1999 Honda motorcycle on the ramp merging to U.S. 75 when he left the roadway to the right and struck a concrete barrier wall. He was not wearing a helmet and was not thrown from the bike. 

 

Bobby Neighbors on Fox news this week

Bobby Neighbor's search for his mother's killer made People last week and is on the news again in Tulsa this week: 

http://www.fox23.com/news/local/story/Pawhuska-teen-searches-for-mothers-killer/HRQSyNj-hk-F_Bu9khhcFw.cspx

A Dark Tale

A Pawhuska legend makes the LA Times 100 years after his post-mortem career as a greeter. 
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0703-then-20110703,0,6628020.story

Osage trust case settlement proposed at $380 million for tribal and non-Osage headright owners

The Osage Nation's 11-year-old trust case against the federal government likely will end in December with the largest tribal trust settlement in United States history, an attorney told a tribal council on Wednesday morning. 

After attorney Wilson Pipestem, one of the lawyers who represented  the tribe in the trust case, presented the $380 million settlement agreement, the Osage Minerals Council unanimously gave its preliminary approval. The money is to be divided between those who own headrights, or shares of the tribe's subsurface mineral estate that lies beneath all of oil-rich Osage County. 

"Given the history of tribal litigation for trust mismanagement, this is probably about as good as it's going to get," said tribal member and headright owner Joe Conner of Fairfax. "And given the political environment right now, this is a minor miracle."

Not all agreed. 

"Chump change!" exclaimed one woman after the meeting.

Shareholder Patricia Spurrier Bright was cautious:  "When I've got a check in my hand, I'll believe it. Where is the government going to get the money? The United States is broke."

As the case has progressed in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, Judge Emily Hewitt found that the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs had grossly mismanaged Osage oil and gas money. Last year, she issued a $330 million judgment against the federal government for mismanagement between 1972 and 2000, the first time span litigated in the case. Pipestem said that judgment was not a sure bet because it could be appealed. Pre-1972 claims in the case are scheduled for trial early next year, but the settlement would end the case. 

"This will be it," Pipestem said.

Before the settlement is finalized, the trust team that negotiated it will meet with Osage shareholders to get their feedback. The first meeting is slated for Aug. 24 at 6:30 p.m. at the Wah-Zha-Zhi Cultural Center in Pawhuska. Only tribal members with headrights will be allowed to attend. Minerals Council Chair Galen Crum said that a password-protected website will also be launched for Osages to ask questions and stay abreast of developments in the settlement.

The settlement announced Wednesday means that, barring an unforeseen legal breakdown, the government will pay $345.8 million into the tribal trust account by Oct. 30, and checks will be cut to individual headright owners by Dec. 5. The amount each shareholder will receive will depend on how many headrights each owns. There are a a total of 2,229 Osage headrights, and $155,136 will be paid out for each whole one.  Many headrights were fractionated as they were passed down over generations, but some people have multiple shares. 

Attorneys who fought the case for the Osages will take 9 percent of the total settlement, or $34.2 million, as their contingency fee. 

About 30 percent of headrights are owned by non-Osage people and, as Pipestem said,  "non-humans" – churches, universities,  corporations and other entities. Those, too, will receive payments under the settlement. 

That irks Osages because some of those headrights were transferred to white people during the  "Reign of Terror" that gripped the tribe in the 1920s, when the oil boom made Osages the richest people per capita in the world and attractive to swindlers and killers. In 1978, the U.S. Congress made it illegal to permanently transfer headlights from an Osage to any non-Osage person or entity.

Many headrights were also willed by Osages to the Catholic Church, the University of Oklahoma, and other groups. 

The settlement "follows the trust machinery that's been in place for over 100 years," Pipestem explained to Osages who don't want anyone outside the tribe to get paid in the agreement. "Non-Osage shareholders have trust property rights. That is a reality this settlement will have to face. It's not perfect, but there are certain things we have to face."

The settlement is the culmination of months of negotiations between a tribal trust team made up of Chief John Red Eagle, Osage Congresswoman Jerri Jean Branstetter, and Minerals Councilors Dudley Whitehorn, Cynthia Boone and Galen Crum.

"it was a lot of work," said Whitehorn, who chaired the trust team. "…And $155,000 is a lot of cottonpickin' money."

Whitehorn said that his main regret is that the case took 11 years to litigate. After his colleague Myron Red Eagle read the names of 20 Osage shareholders who have died recently, Whitehorn said: "Those 20 people won't ever see this money. 

"It took too long to get."

 

Tomorrow's Front Page!

Mary Rose Gann obituary: An Osage and member of the Golden Eagle Clan

It is with much sadness that we announce the passing of Mary Rose Gann.  She passed away at her home in Bartlesville on Aug. 15, 2011.  She was born Aug. 23, 1921 in Hominy.  Next week she would have been 90 years old.

Mary was a full-blood Osage Indian.  She was Golden Eagle Clan; Beaver Band.  Her Osage name was “Moh-se-tsa-he”, which means “second daughter”.  Her grandparents were Andrew and Laura Bighorse of Pawhuska.  Andrew’s Osage name was “Mo-zha-ah-Ke-ta” and Laura’s name was “Hum-pa-to-Kah”.  Mary’s parents were Pete Bighorse and Louise Copperfield Bighorse.  Her step-mother was Florence Vann Bighorse.  Pete’s Osage name was “Wah-skt-sy-a-to”.  Mary had two full brothers – Bill and Paul Bighorse; and six half-brothers – Doug, Lawrence, Kenny, Anthony, Aaron and Walter. 

She was preceded in death by her husband of 66 years, Robert Gann.

She is survived by four children:  Bob, Tom and Don Gann of Norman; and Sherry Gann of Bartlesville; seven grandchildren:  Libby Gray, Clay Gann, Gary Gann, Adam Gann, Jennifer Shook, Andrea Pena and Samantha Reynolds; and seven great grandchildren:  Mary, Sarah and Olivia Ramirez; Annette Gray, Aloni Gann, Tori Reynolds and Peter McGonigal.

Graveside services will be held Thursday, Aug. 18, 10 a.m., in the Pawhuska City Cemetery.  The Rev. Creth Hopkins will officiate.  Interment will follow.

McCartney’s Johnson Funeral Home of Pawhuska in charge of arrangements.

 

Lloyd Eugene Swift obituary: A Baker Petrolite retiree, he loved to fish and spend time with his family

Note correction in service time from post a few minutes ago.

 

Lloyd Eugene Swift, 66, resident of Barnsdall, died Saturday.

Memorial graveside services will be held at 10:00 A.M., Friday in the New Section of the Ethel Reece Cemetery.  Cremation arrangements were by the Stumpff-Barnsdall Funeral Home.

Lloyd Eugene Swift was born on September 22, 1944 in rural Osage County the son of Huskal Dean and Bessie (Collins) Swift.  He was raised in Osage County.  He married Judith Trent on April 11, 1964 and she preceded him in death on July 9, 2010.  He had worked for Petrolite refinery for 20 years and retired in 1995.  He was a member of the Cornerstone Community Church and Freedom Ministries.  He loved to fish and spend time with his family.

Lloyd is survived by two sons, Russell Swift of Barnsdall and Michel Swift of rural Bartlesville, three brothers, Jim Swift, Jack Swift and Ed Swift all of Barnsdall, two sisters, Imadeen of Texas and Peggy of Tulsa and five grandchildren.  He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife and four sisters